Last Call (23 page)

I shot Gage a glare as I lifted my hand to my forehead and rubbed the top. "Stop trying to distract me. Do you
want
to look like a 3rd grade art project?" I teased sternly; going back to sketching.

A slight breeze came off the river and tossed my hair about. I watched as Gage's eyes turned from his normal warm brown to a molten gold. His face clenched, and a sudden intensity cast itself over his features.

"Ooooo," I burst out, finding the perfect inspiration. "Keep that look."

He coughed slightly and the gaze faltered for a moment. I flicked my best
pretty please
beggar face at him.

"Ok," he agreed. Slowly his eyes moved down from my face and began to check me out. I watched as his eyes seemed to stay on my chest, and was amazed to see him close his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, 'The Look' was back.

Finally getting the look I wanted in his face, I started to sketch again. I ignored the curls of desire that started to tickle my toes and run up my legs. Every time I glanced from my paper to his face, another part of my body awakened to his magnetic pull. When I lightly traced his mouth, I felt more blood rush to my face as I visualized kissing it. I decided to add his sexy dimple after a moment, and then stopped to admire the picture as a whole.

"You're gorgeous," I acknowledged, taking in my work.

I heard a low pitched growl and then a moment later he grabbed my ankle and pulled me across the blanket towards him. Once our legs were tangled up together as we sat across from one another, he placed his hands on either side of my face. Smoothing my hair back and running his hands through the windblown mess, he murmured to me in a voice best described as
hungry
.

"
You
are gorgeous. If you'd made me keep that look one minute longer my mind would have turned X-rated."

Nearly moaning aloud as his fingers tickled the skin at my nape, I sighed. "Were you thinking dirty thoughts, Mr. Taylor?"

"Guilty as charged," he confessed. His fingers blazed a path from the back of my neck across my collar bone before tracing the edge of my tank top.

My eyes closed as he rubbed the skin above my shirt lightly. His body tilted forward and warm lips caressed my shoulder. They were as smooth as I’d expected them to be. A shudder ran through me when he trailed his lips over my shoulder and up the curve of my neck lightly.

I started to bend my neck back to allow him access to it when the shouts of unbridled laughter from children playing all around us reminded me where we were. The sound jolted me back to reality and I pulled back marginally.

"Wow." The words escaped me before I could stop them.

Gage slid to the right. Falling on his back, he threw his arm over his eyes. He cursed under his breath and then let out a strained grunt. My feet pulled to the side, I lay on the blanket beside him and rolled onto my back.

"Where did you
come
from?"

"Charleston," I jested, knowing he wasn't really asking a question.

"Are you sure you didn't fall from Heaven?"

His voice sounded so serious that it took me a full five seconds before I broke into laughter. "That is the
worst
pick-up line EVER. Does that actually work in Australia?" I laughed; looking at him as I rolled to my side.

"For me? Yeah it does," he boasted, his face straight.

Making a fake gagging noise, I started to lie on my back again when he suddenly reached over; lightly grabbing my arm and pulling me towards him.

"Use me as a pillow, it's softer."

There was nothing 'soft' about him, but I happily snuggled into the crook between his arm and chest. My head rested over his heart.

"That line obviously works too," I hinted jokingly.

We lay on the blanket under the sweet breeze from the river and listened to the children playing as white puffy clouds rolled by. My eyes closed as his fingers rubbed up and down my forearm and my hand rested on his abs; feeling the slow, rhythmic inhale and exhale of each breath.

My body stirred when something wet struck my cheek. Suddenly I was pulled from a peaceful nap by another plop of water hitting my face. I glanced up at the sky and saw that dark clouds had rolled in while I was sleeping. Beside me, Gage was startled into wakefulness as more fat raindrops began to fall.

Looking confused for a moment he looked at me with a sheepish smile. His voice melted my insides. "We fell asleep, huh?"

A violent rumble of thunder clapped overhead, a sharp wind blew over the river and then suddenly the storm was moving at warp speed.

"Head to the car, quickly!" he shouted, tossing me his car keys. Grabbing the sketchbook and the shoes I kicked off earlier, I sprinted towards the car as rain began to fall in earnest.

My bare feet slapped against the wet sidewalk as Gage caught up with me, blanket in tow. He grabbed my hand to pull me with him and I laughed. My thin shirt was soaked and the cold rain streamed down my cheeks. Once we reached the car I stopped short and stood there laughing. Full bodied laughter.

"Are you crazy? Jump in." He grabbed the sketch book, opened my door and threw it, along with the blanket into the back seat.

"Dance with me." It was a simple request. I stretched my arms out towards him and dropped my shoes. The rain fell on me freely.

He stood there watching me silently for a moment, and I fully expected him to call me crazy again and insist that I get in the car. But he continued to surprise me like no other man had ever done. He shut the car door and walked to my side with a broad smile showcased on his beautiful face.

He grasped one of my hands and twirled his wrist, pulling me in towards his body. He spun me around like a ballroom dancer would spin his partner. When I was wrapped tightly against his side, he whispered into my ear, "If I hear thunder again you're getting in, got it?"

Flicking his arm, I twirled back out; throwing my arm out wide behind me. I bowed playfully. "It's a deal."

Gage smiled as he pulled me back to his chest and placed his hands in the customary waltz position. His stance bespoke of someone who had clearly been taught the dance.

"You know how to waltz?" I heard the incredulous doubt in my question and he eyed me sharply as if I’d offended him.

"Just try and keep up."

We spun around and around in a perfect waltz as the rain splattered our faces. When he dipped me, the fat drops pelted my eyes; forcing me to close them. My hair stuck to my face each time we would spin, and Gage lifted his hand to rub the strands away every so often. A car drove by and honked their horn at us. Gage dropped my hand and spun me out again, dropping into a deep, flourishing bow. In cue to his bow I curtsied, and the honk sounded again as the car got farther away from us.

"That was the perfect waltz," he said, looking me over. The hungry desire had returned to his eyes, and I looked down to see that my shirt was basically see-through, and the bra I was wearing wasn’t particularly offering much coverage.

I was astonished to find that I wasn’t embarrassed by the exposed view he was obviously getting. The need emanating from his eyes was a balm to my insecurities. His open admiration was refreshing and not at all creepy.

"Dance with me," he smiled, as he repeated my inquiry from earlier.

This time he pulled me into his arms and I rested my face on his chest as we began to sway slowly.

The perfect question struck me when he began to hum lightly. "What are we dancing to?"

Instead of answering me, he began to sing. His voice was soft and deep, a little gravelly and totally beautiful. I listened to the words and recognized the song as a new one by Kip Moore.

"’Hey Pretty Girl’." I looked up at him as he hummed some more, and the look on his face said it all. "It's the perfect song."

We stared at each other and gravity began to pull us towards each other. I stretched up onto my tiptoes and his hand went behind my head; cupping it lightly. My lips parted; the raindrops tickling them as I took a steadying breath.

Just as my eyes began to close, a loud crash of thunder boomed and lightning streaked the sky right by us.

"Whoa!" Gage shouted, covering my head and pulling me to the car. "Get in," he said, laughing at the shocked look on my face.

Running around to the driver’s side, he jumped in quickly as another flash lit the almost pitch black sky.

"I think we almost got barbecued, sweetheart," he laughed, and grabbed the blanket from the back seat. "Here."

I wrapped myself up as my teeth chattered and I laughed again. Gage cranked the car and turned the heater up full blast. I saw that the clock read seven-thirty, and my stomach picked that time to growl its discomfort. We’d napped the whole day away. I hadn't realized it was so late.

"I'm starving," I admitted as we sat there, the windows fogging up from the muggy heat in the car. It reminded me of the old days when Daniel and I would park and make-out. That vision made me uncomfortable so I shoved it away. Especially considering the aborted kiss Gage and I almost shared a moment ago.

"Me too. We aren't really dressed to go in anywhere, though. How about a drive-thru meal? I know it's not much of a date…"

"Are you kidding me? This has been a perfect day, and a drive-thru sounds fabulous. Besides, look at me…I’m too much of a mess to go anywhere." Vanity got the better of me and I pulled down the visor to check my rain soaked hair and make-up. Gage stared at me as I wiped smudged eyeliner from around my eyes. His hand reached over and flipped the mirror closed.

"You really
did
fall from Heaven, didn't you?" he prodded.

"You should be so lucky."

"Sweetheart, I'm already that lucky," he insisted, sweeping his hand under the blanket to find mine. He pulled my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles before letting go and putting the car in reverse.

We drove to a local fast food restaurant where we ate and took turns asking ridiculous questions of each other. I learned that he rarely drank, even though he was a bartender, and I admitted to hating whiskey, although it was my heritage. The local country station played softly in the background. He admitted to not particularly liking country before, although since moving to Nashville he'd been trying to get better acquainted with the songs. I asked how he knew the Kip Moore song and he smiled boldly, admitting, "That one reminded me of you the moment I heard it. I've been playing it a lot."

It was nearly ten when he walked me to my front door. The rain had stopped and the humidity in the air was as thick as pea soup. I stood at the door and stared at him, waiting for him to finally make a move.

His eyes roved searchingly over my face, his hand reaching out while he spoke.

"I know what you want, Savannah." His accent always made itself known when he was being serious. His hand twisted into my hair.

"You do, huh?" I flirted.

"I do, and I want it too." He frowned and closed his eyes briefly before adding, "But you're not the type of girl that one simply kisses goodnight. When I kiss you, I want it to
mean
something. I want you to want it so bad that when our lips collide, the earth stops spinning." His fingers trailed over my cheek and down the curve of my neck. "I want to linger over every inch of your lips one of these days."

A tremble rocked through me at his touch. I felt every muscle in my body begin to tense up at the expectation of a kiss with Gage. I hooked my fingers into the belt loops of his jeans, boldly pulling his hips forward until they were flush with mine.

"And when will this day be?" I asked seductively; looking up at him.

"Sweetheart, I won't have to tell you when it’ll be…you'll just know. I want our bodies to be so desperate for the release that we won’t be able to get from anyone but each other," he spoke confidently. The smile on his face belied the seriousness of his deep voice. He was confiding his innermost thoughts to me.

"Savannah, I want to need you like an addict needs his drugs; like a baby needs his mother. You're beginning to work your way into me."

My voice was barely a blip on the radar, it was so low, when I asked, "I am?"

"Yeah. If I were smart I would walk away. I want you too badly for this to end up well for me. You’re like poison slowly sinking into my veins and spreading through my body. I can't stop thinking about you."

A satisfied smirk crossed my lips before I could stop it. Every inch of my skin begged for his touch as warmth spread through me like wildfire. I stamped down the urge to pull his face to mine, it was
that
overwhelming.

"This wait is going to be torture," I admitted, resting my forehead to his chest.

Chuckling as he kissed the top of my head he said, "Good. It’ll be all the better then, won't it?" Reaching for my wrists, he pulled my hands from his belt loops. "Goodnight," he whispered faintly. He dropped my hands and stepped away, and I saw the light from my porch reflecting the uncertainty in his eyes.

I pouted as I leaned against my front door, and he shook his head with a rueful grin. "Don't even try it, sweetheart. I'm unyielding when it comes to this."